Plan now for a summer of grandparenting

This is the month to get dates on the calendar to connect more deeply with your grandchildren. June is the unofficial start to summer – the perfect time to kick off your Impactful Grandparenting plans.

I just firmed up dates for my Cousin Camp this summer. We’ll be playing, Bible reading, connecting, giggling, learning, crafting and field tripping every Wednesday from 10 am to 3 pm. What’s your schedule going to look like?

Your Impactful Grandparenting experience will depend on the ages and number of children, proximity and schedules. And, realistically, your energy level.

Designate one day a week. Or one day every other week. Or one Saturday a month. Or one morning a month. The key is intentionality. It’s not about the number of hours, it’s about your heart.

I confess I struggled a bit this year. I have 5 local grandchildren, ages 2, 4, 4, 7 and 11. Does it even make sense to combine this diverse age range into one Cousin Camp?

No. It does not.

First, a 2-year-old can’t participate at the same level as the older grandchildren. (Sorry, buddy, but no Cousin Camp for you this year. You’ll have to settle for some special Grammy Days.)

Second, how do I bridge the developmental gap between 4 and 11? I could have two separate Cousin Camps, but that seems like a big commitment and that still leaves the older two 4 years apart.

Here’s where I landed. I will divide them into a Senior Camp Counselor, Junior Camp Counselor and two campers. Sometimes the counselors will help the littles. Other times I’ll have more advanced activities for them. That’s part of the beauty of our Impactful Grandparenting Action Plans, you can slice and dice them any way you choose. 

Have a plan

Whatever you decide to do, structure your time together to ensure it is meaningful. That’s why I put together a library of kid-tested, Grammy-approved, Impactful Grandparenting Action Plans. Each plan follows a theme (e.g. Water Fun) and connects a Bible story (e.g. Jesus Calms the Storm) with loads of fun activities, games, crafts, field trips and meaningful interactions. It’s turnkey grandparenting 😊

Or, come up with your own ideas. You have a unique set of gifts and talents. Bless your grandkids by actively putting them to use to create your personal version of Impactful Grandparenting.

If you don’t live close to your grands, you could host a week (or long weekend) of Cousin Camp. You can revise it to Kid Camp or Grandma/Grandpa Camp if all the grandchildren are from one family. Or, invite each child separately for some special one-on-one time.

To make the camp seem more official and promote unity, I get each kiddo a camp T-shirt. Matching shirts help you keep track of campers. I received so many positive comments while we were out and about!

Spoiler alert

This summer, Impactful Grandparenting will offer our own Cousin Camp T-shirts for you to purchase. More info to come soon. But be ready to hit that link and outfit your kiddos in style. Sign up for the Impactful Grandparenting newsletter through our website to be notified first.

Remember to snap pics

Take lots of photos throughout the summer. These years go fast and its fun for us – and the kids – to look back and remember your intentionality.

I’d love to see your pictures or hear your ideas for memory-making with your grandkids. You can email me at impactfulgrandparenting@gmail.com or, better yet – share them with everyone and post on Impactful Grandparenting’s Instagram or Facebook page.

Meanwhile, get rested up and prepared for a summer of fun. God has great things in store for you and your little ones.